Dell Inspiron Mini 10v Netbook Computer (Intel Atom N270, 120GB HDD, 1GB)

The “v” in the Dell Mini 10v’s name is seemingly there to indicate value for thrifty Netbook shoppers. The system is in many ways hard to distinguish from its more expensive cousin and is one of the better under-$299 Netbook packages we’ve seen.

It does, however, lack the high-end configuration options of the regular Mini 10, including a higher-resolution screen and mobile broadband antenna.

Our $334 review unit adds a larger 6-cell battery, and there are also CPU and hard-drive upgrade options, but no way to get the higher-resolution 1,366×768 screen, HDMI output, or mobile broadband options available in the Mini 10. But if you’re fan of the wide flat keys and reasonably slim design of the Mini 10, the less expensive Mini 10v version offers the same basic look and feel for less.

Price as reviewed / Starting price	$334 / $299
Processor	1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
Memory	1GB, 533MHz DDR2
Hard drive	160GB 5,400rpm
Chipset	Mobile Intel 945GSE
Graphics	Intel GMA 950 (integrated)
Operating System	Windows XP Home SP3
Dimensions (WD)	10.3 x 7.2 inches
Height	1.0 – 1.9 inches
Screen size (diagonal)	10.1 inches
System weight / Weight with AC adapter	2.9 / 3.4 pounds
Category	Netbook

Like the Dell Mini 10, the Mini 10v is not as streamlined as Asus’ latest Netbooks or the minimalist HP Mini 5101. Instead Dell’s Mini line takes its design cues from the bigger laptops in the Inspiron family, with similar rounded edges and shiny surfaces.

Unlike Dell’s older 9-inch Netbook keyboards, there are no missing keys or major space compromises, and important keys, such as the shift, tab, and control keys, are relatively full-size. The wide, flat keys go nearly edge-to-edge, but the long, letterbox-style touchpad has to squeeze its mouse buttons directly into the lower left and right corners of the pad. It’s far from our favorite Netbook touchpad, but better than the similar long touchpad with buttons on the far sides found on HP’s Mini 110.

The 10.1-inch display on the Mini 10v is a standard 1,024×600 one, so if you want a more HD experience, you’ll need to trade up to the Mini 10, which offers an option for a 1,366×768 screen (which we liked a lot). The inset display on the Mini 10v kept glare down, but this is still a very glossy screen.

	Dell Inspiron Mini 10v	Average for category [Netbook]
Video	VGA	VGA
Audio	headphone/microphone jacks	headphone/microphone jacks
Data	3 USB 2.0, SD card reader	2 USB 2.0, SD card reader
Expansion	None	None
Networking	Ethernet, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi,	Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Optical drive	None	None

While the Mini 10 has an HDMI port, with the less expensive 10v you’re stuck with a basic VGA output, plus SD and 3 USB ports. Trading up to 802.11n Wi-Fi is a $25 upgrade, and adding Bluetooth is $20.

Dell’s reputation for offering highly configurable systems is well-earned, and even though the 10v doesn’t offer as many options as the regular Mini 10, you can still swap in a larger 160GB hard drive for $25 or a slightly faster Intel Atom N280 CPU, also for $25.

Like most of the Netbooks we’ve reviewed, the Dell Mini 10v uses the 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor (although one interesting exception is the non-v version of the Mini 10, which uses the Atom’s Z530 alternative). Its performance was exactly in line with typical Netbooks, and it works well for basic Netbook tasks, including Web surfing, basic media viewing, and working on office docs, which is what these low-cost, low-power systems are primarily intended for.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10v ran for 5 hours and 45 minutes on our video playback battery drain test, using the included 6-cell battery. That’s very impressive, even for a low-power Netbook. However, the battery is especially bulky and sticks out from the bottom of the system, raising up the rear end. A smaller 3-cell battery is what you get in the base $299 configuration.

Dell offers an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system. Adding on-site service (after what the company calls “remote diagnosis”) seems reasonable at $19, and moving up to two years is a $59 upgrade. Online support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, an online knowledge base, and driver downloads.

Multimedia multitasking test
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Jalbum photo conversion test
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Apple iTunes encoding test
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)

Video playback battery drain test
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Cnet